Yes it was warm and sunny today, yes I said it felt like fall, yes I said the breeze felt cool BUT I was not riding my bike at the time when I made these statements.
I left my house today at 1:30 PM and 30 minutes into the ride the sweat was running down my cheeks as the sun baked my head, back, arms, and legs. The 25 mile route I had planned on doing turned into a 19 mile ride. Why you ask? Because my two bottles of water were empty, drained, depleted, dry at mile 18 and the sun was just too hot. I guess I am not conditioned for warm weather riding this summer as in previous summers. This can be attributed to a bad cycling year for me. Yes, 2007 has not been a good biking year for me but hopefully it will end better. Tomorrow I will go for an early morning ride. Oh well to be positive I at least rode my bike!
3 comments:
Well Sue I could picture it now…
You dragging your sorry dehydrated parched shriveled body across the burning expanse of Connell Prairie. Bleached oxen skulls litter the grounds around you, as vultures circle the sky above. You run your swollen tongue over your parched cracked lips and you say to yourself…(cue ominous music in the background)
I’VE HAD ABOUT AS MUCH SUMMER VACATION AS I CAN STAND!!!
LOL, NEVER! But your description was exactly what my delusional mind saw yesterday at 3:00 PM in that heat. LOL And I did see vultures circling over a field. Honest!
I am feeling bad for Joe. He didn't get home last night until 7:30. He was in a good mood though. If it were me, watch out! I complain if it's 3:01 and I am still at Lakeridge Middle School doing something.
Well I did go for a ride this morning early. I left the house at 8:20 AM and did the Sky Island, Orting, Buckley route. A much more pleasant (and cooler) ride. I stopped at Starbucks in Orting (mile 12.47) and asked for a grande ice water and my usual, a grande 2 pump white, 1 pump chocolate, non-fat, with whipped cream mocha. Mmmmm mmmmm delicious! Before leaving I refilled my two water bottles and continued on.
At mile (I think it was 18) I stopped at the South Prairie espresso stand and ate one of my pria protein bars and drank about half a bottle of water. Then the climb out of South Prairie to the road that leads into Buckley. I made it and continued around Collins Middle School/Rainier School returning to downtown Buckley. I crossed 410 at the light and pedaled to Old Sumner Buckley Hwy. I got 36 miles in and was home by 11:30 AM. Definitely a much nicer ride than yesterday's.
On this morning's ride I saw fields and fields of corn, Mount Rainier out in all it's glory, fields of flowers, cows, and horses. The ride made me think about Joe not riding all summer long. He has not been on his bike since June. I am wondering if he will be able to do this route, 36 miles?! I will speak with him tonight.
If Joe would rather do a shorter ride would you mind doing the upper or lower loop of our figure 8? I think we discussed it a few months back. There are two loops that start from Black Diamond, each is 20 miles and very hilly. If you do both loops you get a little over 40 miles in. Here is the url to that discussion:
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=24746884&postID=8750799053123650993. Or you can just go to March of this year and find it there.
Maybe we can do one loop this weekend and the other loop next weekend and perhaps by the third weekend Joe will be ready for the Sky Island to Buckley ride?! Let me know what you think.
Pedal On!
Sue
Sue:
Don't you have a Mariners game to go to Sat night?
You might want to think a shorter route for Joe, as so you don't wear him out, if you all are going to the game.
Let me think about the change in plans. I'll get back to you on that one.
Pedal On!
Gary
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